Reddened eyes with dilated blood vessels visible on them are not uncommon, so such a symptom is not always paid attention to.
However, red blood vessels that appear in the eyes may indicate quite serious health problems.
Odnoklassniki
Why do red blood vessels appear in the eye?
Red eyes are a common symptom of many eye diseases.
Therefore, if you notice such a sign in yourself, then in the absence of logical explanations, you need to consult an ophthalmologist. So, the reasons for redness may be:
infectious eye diseases - keratitis, uveitis, conjunctivitis, blepharitis; allergies to house dust, smoke, pollen, etc.; injury to the eyeball or hypothermia; residual symptoms of previous eye infections; presence of a foreign body; eye fatigue, long and intense work at a computer monitor; some medications may cause redness of the whites of the eyes; lack of sleep and chronic fatigue; increased physical activity during sports or during childbirth in women.
Capillary rupture
In addition, the red vessels of the visual organ may be the result of hemorrhage, hypertension or diabetes. With these diseases, the elasticity of all blood vessels in the body suffers greatly, therefore, with a sharp jump in blood pressure, which brings more blood into the vessel. Insufficient elasticity in this case leads to it breaking. The causes of such pressure surges may be stress, nervous tension or worsening weather conditions. If this happens repeatedly, you should consult a doctor to examine the vessels and prescribe measures to prevent this from happening.
Sometimes, capillary ruptures can occur due to a lack of ascorbic acid in the body, which makes the vessels more fragile and the walls of the vessels less strong.
The lifestyle of a modern person, when the eyes receive high stress, for example, when working with a computer, leads to dry eye syndrome. Tear fluid moisturizes the ocular surface and if there is a lack of it, it dries out, irritation appears, and the blood vessels turn red. Dry air can also cause insufficient hydration of the eyeballs; this is the air produced by air conditioners. Also, wearing contact lenses can injure the cornea and lead to swelling and redness of the blood vessels.
Why are there red eyes and capillaries in the eyes?
If the white eyeball turns red, this indicates that the capillaries (small blood vessels) have ruptured. But in order for this to happen, it is necessary to bring your blood vessels to a certain state, because capillaries do not burst without a reason.
Under the influence of certain negative factors, capillaries can expand and bleed. This action may be completely asymptomatic, or may be accompanied by a number of other unpleasant symptoms:
- pain
- tearfulness
- inflammation
- feeling of dry eye
- itching
- feeling of fullness
If, in addition to the red color, you notice one or a number of the listed symptoms in the eye, you should immediately seek help and advice from a doctor.
why did the eye vessels turn red?
The simplest reason for redness of the blood vessels in the eyes is simple overstrain or eye fatigue during long work. This reason does not require any special treatment. All you need to do is give your eye some rest and provide it with drops made from natural tears.
Try to rest your eyes. To do this, you need to sleep at least eight hours, relax, give up televisions, computers, monitors and screens, as well as reading. You can do a little exercise for the eyes, a light massage for the eyes, as well as a compress from tea leaves (you can also use a used tea bag of natural black tea) or a slice of cucumber pulp.
a compress on the eyes made from tea leaves relieves fatigue and redness of the eyes
Cucumber compresses help to relax the eyes, relieve redness and eliminate bags under the eyes
How to get rid of reddened blood vessels
Use of vasoconstrictors These drugs combat the symptom, i.e. They narrow the overly dilated vessels, thereby reducing redness and swelling. These are “Vizin”, “Naftizin”. But you should be careful not to overdo it, as these drugs are addictive. If used too often, the vessels get used to it and their walls stop contracting properly. They always remain dilated, and the redness intensifies even more.
A more correct way to narrow blood vessels is to use cold lotions. Cold reflexively contracts the blood vessels, and they narrow, without becoming addictive. For lotions, you must use clean boiled water, and wash your hands before the procedure. A moistened cotton swab or handkerchief should be applied to the eyes for a few minutes.
You can also use ice by wrapping it in a cloth. In addition to plain water, you can use compresses with tea and decoctions of medicinal herbs. In this case, alternating warm and cold compresses gives a good effect, so the vascular wall trains and becomes stronger. Tea should only be taken loose leaf, not flavored. Plants include chamomile, blue cornflower, mallow, linden and mint.
Proper diet and daily routine You should take care of a healthy diet, because the lack of vitamins and microelements has a bad effect on the strength of the blood vessels in the eyes. First of all, eat more fruits and vegetables. These are all red, yellow, orange and green fruits and vegetables, they contain many beneficial vitamins for eye health. It also includes fish, nuts, eggs and berries (blueberries). After consulting with a doctor, he may prescribe special vitamin and mineral complexes.
Properly alternate between workload and rest during the working day. Don't let your eyes become overstrained. Their daily routine is of great importance for their health. Sleep should take at least 7-8 hours a day. This is necessary for the conjunctiva to recover after the day. During the day, also provide your visual organs with rest.
When working with a computer, use anti-glare glasses and take breaks at least every half hour. You can do a simple eye exercise.
sit up straight, relax and move your eyes left and right, then up and down; then make circles with your eyes clockwise and counterclockwise; Blink quickly, then close your eyes and relax. Repeat several times; look first at an object in the distance, and then move your gaze to a closer object; Cover your eyes with your fingers and massage them gently. Protecting your eyes from harmful environmental factors In summer, be sure to wear sunglasses with a good UV filter. Don't let your eyes get too cold in winter. Avoid getting cigarette smoke, dust and litter in your eyes. Treatment of diseases that cause red eyes
For allergies, antihistamines
Above, cases were described where the cause of red blood vessels was not an infectious or other systemic disease. If this is the reason, then treatment should be appropriate. If you have an infection, do not touch your eyes or rub them - this can aggravate the disease and spread the infection process.
If redness of the organs of vision is caused by allergies, then you should take antihistamines. With allergies, in addition to redness, itching appears. Vasoconstrictor antihistamine drops can now be purchased without a prescription. However, they cannot be used for a long time. Use them several times a day.
The physiological phenomenon in which red streaks or even tiny blood spots appear on the whites is medically called “conjunctival hyperemia” or “red eye syndrome.” This symptom can indicate either eye fatigue or indicate the presence of certain diseases in a person.
Other causes of red blood vessels in the eyes
If the whites of the eyes constantly turn red without other symptoms, it can be assumed that the body is regularly exposed to external factors.
- Passion for computers. The more time you spend looking at the monitor, the higher the likelihood of eye fatigue. This is explained by the fact that while working at a computer, blinking, which is necessary for timely wetting of the cornea, occurs much less frequently. The mucous membrane is not moisturized and dries out, which leads to redness and a burning sensation.
- Allergens. If a person is exposed to seasonal or other allergens, his eyes will be constantly itchy and red. It is possible to cope with the problem through special therapy under the guidance of a doctor.
- Failure to comply with the rest regime. The reason for the fact that the eyes seem sunken against the background of swollen eyelids is frequent lack of sleep at night, coupled with exposure to stressful situations during the daytime. As a result of excessive stress over a long period of time, the whites turn red with a yellow tint, and the cornea bakes and waters.
- Bad habits. A large amount of alcohol drunk the day before manifests itself in the morning as reddened eyes, which is due to the ability of strong drinks to dilate blood vessels. Smoking, in addition to the general negative impact on the body, dries out the mucous membranes of the eyes with the help of cigarette smoke.
- Swimming in the pool. When water treated with chlorine gets into the eyes, the natural balance of the mucous membrane is disrupted. After such a bath, the eyes become bloodshot and “cut” due to dryness.
- Inadequate treatment. Eye drops intended to whiten whites may have the opposite effect. If the drug has been used for a long time, after its discontinuation there will be no constriction of the blood vessels, which will begin to look red all the time.
Important! If the vessels burst, this may be the result of a strong prolonged cough, a targeted blow, or a sharp increase in intraocular pressure. In the first case, the pathology will go away in a week, in the last two - only after appropriate treatment.
Why does “red eye syndrome” develop?
Red blood vessels on the whites of the eyes are a fairly common problem caused by ruptured eye capillaries. But capillaries cannot burst without a reason. Bleeding of blood vessels manifests itself under the influence of various negative factors and can be asymptomatic or accompanied by lacrimation, pain or other discomfort. The most common causes of red eyeballs are:
overstrain of the eyelids; lack of sleep; physical overexertion (lifting weights, sports activities); allergic reactions to various irritants (cleaning and detergents, cigarette smoke, pollen); irritation of the cornea due to improper wearing of contact lenses; attacks of hypertension; the presence of an infectious disease in the human body.
Only an ophthalmologist can correctly determine why the capillaries ruptured. However, a pronounced network of red capillaries, as well as the sensation of a foreign body in the eye, can be symptoms of diseases such as:
conjunctivitis - an inflammatory process of the mucous membrane of the eye; blepharitis - inflammation of the eyelash follicles; episcleritis – inflammation of connective tissue; iridocyclitis – inflammation of the iris; uveitis is an inflammatory process of the choroid.
In the presented photos you can examine in detail the various manifestations of the “red eye syndrome”.
How to choose the right drops for red eyes?
The most popular eye drops are Visine. They protect the eyeball from all negative external factors and efficiently remove an unsightly external defect - redness. This medicine is available both in regular drops in a bottle and in special capsules intended for one-time use.
The advantage of these drops is that they have a fairly quick effect and the redness can disappear in exactly a minute. The effect of using this medicine can extend its effect by about four hours. Another plus is that “Vizin” does not contain a single harmful preservative that can cause allergies or a backlash.
Visine in ampoules to eliminate redness in the eyes
Another popular and budget-friendly product is Sulfacyl. It is often called a “first aid drug” for the eyes. This medicine is antimicrobial and it also becomes a serious barrier to the development of infectious diseases in the eyes. Sulfacyl treats unpleasant symptoms in the eyes and eliminates redness. The downside of the product is that it is not ideal for everyone and in some rare cases it can actually cause allergies.
"Sulfacyl" drops for diseases and redness of the eyes
"Floxal" - drops that have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. They effectively remove the cause of the inflammatory process, eliminate redness of the eye and provide sufficient tear production. However, in some cases, if the substance is intolerant, complications and a negative reaction may develop.
floxal - eye drops
How to get rid of redness using medications and traditional methods?
If the redness of the white of the eye does not go away for a long time, it is better not to delay a visit to the ophthalmologist. The doctor will examine the patient to identify symptoms of a possible disease and prescribe effective treatment.
For example, for infectious diseases, doctors prescribe eye drops for fatigue and redness with an antibacterial effect: Vitabact, Albucid, Levomycytin. These drugs quickly relieve inflammation and eliminate redness. If capillary rupture is caused by allergic irritants, antihistamines are used - Alomide, Lekronin, Allergodil. Various vitamin-vascular preparations containing taurine and riboflabin are used as means for the prevention of eye diseases.
Some eye drops, for example, Visine or Octilia, quickly eliminate redness of the eye due to their vasoconstrictor effect. However, such remedies do not treat the disease itself, but only remove its external manifestations. There are many ways to get rid of redness in the white of the eye using traditional methods. But such methods can only be used after making sure that there are no serious eye diseases.
Cold compresses have a beneficial effect on the eye vessels. It is enough to soak cotton pads in cooled boiled water and apply to the eyelids for 15-20 minutes. Instead of cotton pads soaked in water, you can use ice cubes wrapped in pieces of gauze. Lotions made from tea leaves with the addition of chamomile and mint flowers are also useful for the eyelids.
You can improve your eye condition with pumpkin compresses. The pumpkin pulp is grated on a coarse grater, wrapped in gauze or bandage and applied to the eyelids for 20 minutes. This simple procedure relieves eyelid fatigue and removes redness. Also interesting is the recipe for making medicinal compresses for the eyelids from dill seeds. Pour boiling water over a tablespoon of seeds and let it brew for exactly 1 hour. Cotton pads soaked in the prepared decoction are applied to the reddened eyes for half an hour. To completely eliminate vascular bleeding, it is necessary to carry out this procedure several times a day.
What to do if you have red eyes, how and with what to treat red blood vessels in the eyes?
There are several effective ways to get rid of redness in the eyes:
Using special vasoconstrictor agents , for example Vizin. But you should know that a number of such medications do not treat the entire disease, but only fight the symptom itself. Such remedies can narrow the blood vessels in the eyes that are too dilated and thereby reduce the redness in the eyes.
Such medications should be treated very carefully, because their disadvantage is that they can be addictive. If they are used too often, the walls of the blood vessels stop working in their proper and natural way.
Vasoconstrictors are unpleasantly addictive
The best way to treat red eyes is with cold packs. The action of cold can also have a vasoconstrictor effect, but do it gently and not become addictive. Such lotions are quite simple: clean water (boiled or bottled) soaks a cotton swab, which is placed on the eye. The tompon should be kept on the eye for some time, the longer the better.
Instead of a moistened swab, you can also use a piece of ice, but you should know that in a clean state it should never be applied to your eyes. It is best to wrap it in a piece of cloth.
You can use not only clean water for lotions, but also herbal decoctions, chamomile, for example. Contrasting application of compresses: cold and warm can be extremely useful. As a result of such manipulations, the vascular wall becomes stronger and more elastic.
If you apply tea leaves to your eyes, it must be only pure tea without additives or flavorings. To this tea brew you can add chamomile and cornflower flowers, mint, linden or mallow.
Before applying compresses to your eyes, make sure that you are not allergic to a particular plant.
a compress on the eyes will help solve the problem of excessive redness of the eyes
Modern manufacturers of medicines and cosmetics offer special goggle masks that are cooled in the refrigerator. The gel that these masks contain cools down and has the desired effect on a tired, reddened eye.
You can achieve brightening of the eyeball by changing your daily routine and adjusting your lifestyle. In this case, we are talking about proper nutrition, which modern people rarely adhere to. A balanced diet must contain many vitamins and microelements that have a beneficial effect on the walls of blood vessels.
Proper nutrition involves regular consumption of:
- fresh fruits and vegetables (especially those that are yellow and orange: they contain vitamin A, which is good for the eyes)
- nuts (they contain a lot of polyunsaturated fats and vitamin E)
- fish (which also contains a lot of vitamin E and fatty acids)
- Blueberries are an incredibly healthy food for the eyes.
Only a professional physician can prescribe supplemental vitamins and minerals.
fortified food will help avoid problems with vision and redness of the eyes
Try to exercise your eyes correctly. To do this, it is necessary not only to alternate between stress and rest for the eyes, but also to do a little exercise for the eyeball. Additionally, there are many safety glasses available to help you use your computer safely.
Eye exercise:
- in a relaxed state, in a sitting position, you need to move your eyes right and left, up and down
- try making a few circles to the right and a few to the left with your eyes
- another exercise - blinking your eyes quickly and squeezing your eyes tightly shut
- An exercise with focusing your gaze on an object located near and far gives a good effect
- cover your closed eyelids with your fingertips and gently stroke them, pat them with your fingertips, press down very lightly and release
Also, during the summer when it is very sunny outside, wear quality sunglasses with a UV filter. In winter, make sure that your eyes do not freeze and are not exposed to direct frosty winds.
Causes of capillary rupture in children
Minor hemorrhages on the proteins occur not only in adults, but also in children. And if the reasons for the rupture of the eye capillaries in a schoolchild are, most likely, sitting for a long time in front of the computer or stress during sports activities, then the redness of the eyes in a baby can seriously alarm parents. But in most cases there is no need to worry. The blood vessels in babies are so fragile that they can burst due to the child’s screaming or crying. During bathing, many children experience a slight increase in pressure, which leads to rupture of capillaries. Sometimes a child rubs his eyelids with his hands because of the bright light in the room, dry air, or a trapped eyelash. This can cause inflammation and rupture of blood vessels.
But whatever the reasons for the hemorrhage, parents do not need to panic. It’s better to just wait a few days and observe the baby’s behavior. If a child cries and constantly puts his hands towards his eyes, you need to show him to a doctor. Contacting a specialist is also necessary if the redness does not go away for more than a week. But you cannot treat the baby yourself. Most of the drugs that are excellent at coping with the problem of ruptured ocular vessels in adults are not suitable for children and can provoke allergic reactions in them.
Complications from contact lenses
Red blood vessels on the whites of the eyes are a common complication after wearing contact lenses incorrectly. This problem can be caused by various reasons. Often, “red eye syndrome” is caused by the mechanical impact of poorly cleaned lenses, as well as lenses with various defects on the surface. You need to know how to put on lenses correctly for the first time so that there are no consequences.
You should not wear contact lenses for longer than the period specified in the instructions. For example, there are daily replacement lenses and extended wear lenses - from 2 weeks to 3 months. The latter require daily cleaning with special solutions and storage in a lens container. Failure to comply with these basic rules can lead to serious consequences: rupture of capillaries, the formation of pathological blood vessels and even complete loss of vision.
Prevention of capillary rupture
To strengthen the walls of the eye capillaries, you need to change your eating habits and adjust your daily routine. The food consumed must contain a sufficient amount of vitamins. For example, foods such as carrots, pumpkin, bell peppers, apricots, peach, and melon are rich in healthy vitamin A. You can get the required amount of vitamin E and Omega-3 fatty acids, which have a beneficial effect on the walls of blood vessels, by eating fish and nuts.
It is necessary to give your eyes rest, especially if your work involves spending a long time in front of a computer monitor. It is imperative to alternate exercise with rest. You can use special computer glasses that reduce eye strain and protect your vision from harmful ultraviolet waves. But, in order to protect yourself from low-quality counterfeits that can cause irreparable damage to your eyesight, it is best to purchase such glasses in specialized optical shops.
A simple lack of sleep is the most common cause of eye redness. To avoid this, you need to sleep at least 7 hours a day. It is known that smoking and excessive alcohol consumption contribute to the thinning of the walls of blood vessels and can cause rupture of capillaries. To maintain eye health, the best solution is to give up bad habits.
We must not forget that vision is the most important way for a person to perceive the world. And in order to preserve your vision, you need to take good care of your eyes all your life - from early childhood to old age.
